Since the commencement of their research programme to develop drugs to treat Type 1 diabetes, Dr Waldron-Lynch, Ms. Kennet and Ms. Anselmiova (The CamT1D Team) have developed their Research ECOsystem, a public engagement programme to engage participants, patients, families, funders, colleagues, institutions, companies and the community, with the aim of ensuring that their research remains relevant to stakeholder needs. The underlying philosophy guiding these interactions is that research is not a one-way process but rather a cycle of interactions with different partners, each being reliant on the other. Amongst their outputs, the team runs a patient support group as well as an online engagement strategy through social media platforms and a dedicated website (www.clinical-trials-type1-diabetes.com).

Dr Waldron-Lynch says “We have tried to reach out to the type 1 diabetes community as a whole both locally and globally using social networking (Twitter @t1diabetestrial and Facebook facebook.com/ClinicalTrialsType1Diabetes), at diabetes charity events to explain and highlight our work and respond to people’s questions and queries directly”. This approach simultaneously raises the profile of current clinical studies within the community, the network of professional staff and patient groups to allow direct contact with the study team.